Creators are furious after YouTube confirmed it has been quietly altering Shorts with AI without telling them.
If you’ve been wondering why some YouTube Shorts appear to look a bit “off” lately, it may be because YouTube secretly edited them with AI.
According to a BBC report, YouTube Shorts have been subject to hidden AI processing in recent months. The tweaks are subtle: wrinkles in clothes appear sharper, skin looks unnaturally smooth, and in some cases, ears warp. The changes are barely visible without a side-by-side comparison, but many creators say the results make their content feel fake.
Rhett Shull, a creator with over 600,000 views on his comparison video, showed how his YouTube Shorts looked “smoothened” and gave his face an “oil painting effect” compared to Instagram.
“I did not consent to this,” Shull said. “Replacing or enhancing my work with some AI upscaling system not only erodes trust with the audience, but it also erodes my trust in YouTube.”
Other creators have shared similar concerns. A June Reddit post titled “YouTube Shorts are almost certainly being AI upscaled” highlighted side-by-side screenshots of altered frames, sparking further backlash.
YouTube responds to using AI to edit videos without consent
After months of speculation, YouTube finally confirmed it has been running experiments on Shorts.
“We’re running an experiment on select YouTube Shorts that uses traditional machine learning technology to unblur, denoise and improve clarity in videos during processing (similar to what a modern smartphone does when you record a video),” said Rene Ritchie, YouTube’s head of editorial and creator liaison, in a post on X.
Ritchie clarified that YouTube’s method uses “traditional machine learning” rather than generative AI, which creates entirely new content. Still, creators say the distinction doesn’t matter if they aren’t asked first.
Hi! I’m a tech nerd and I try to be precise about the terminology I use
GenAI typically refers to technologies like transformers and large language models, which are relatively new
Upscaling typically refers to taking one resolution (like SD/480p) and making it look good at a…
— YouTube Liaison (@YouTubeInsider) August 20, 2025
Twitch streamer DeanoSauruz summed up the frustration: “It’s still AI. It walks and sounds like a duck and I was told that the difference is that THIS is a Goose.”
Other responses were even sharper:
“If you want to offer people this garbage that is your prerogative, but forcing it without even telling them is disgusting.”
“This is not ok. You don’t manipulate art without the consent of the artist. Period.”
Creators are now urging YouTube to make the system optional, warning that applying AI edits without consent undermines the trust between platforms, artists, and their audiences.
This new controversy comes after YouTube implemented its AI age estimation system in the United States, which can prevent viewers from watching certain content if the system believes they are underage, forcing them to submit ID or personal info to verify they’re an adult. This system has been panned by security experts who and warned that there could be major consequences in the event of a data breach.
